Fourth Caster Leaves Overwatch League

As the Overwatch League prepares for their third season as well as league-wide home and away games, the analyst and caster desks are looking very different. Earlier this month legendary esports personalities Christopher “MonteCristo” Mykles, Chris Puckett and Erik “DoA” Lonnquist all announced their contracts had expired with the Overwatch League and that they would not be resigning.

MonteCristo and DoA who have been casting together for seven years both cited creative differences with the upper management at the Overwatch League. Chris Puckett is making the move to free lance work as he moves back across the country to the east coast with his wife.

Following these three a fourth caster has announced his departure from the Overwatch League. Making a name for himself in the Counter-Strike world Auguste ‘Semmler’ Massonnat is leaving behind Robert “hexagrams” Kirkbride his casting partner of two years in the Overwatch League.

I will not be returning to cast full-time at @overwatchleague. The hard part is putting a 2 year partnership on hold. Thanks to @hexagrams for having my back in all things. Too many in the crew to thank, you know who you are. Best of luck with the homestands!

When speaking to The Loadout, Semmlar cites how much the game has changed over the past two years as the reason he’s stepping away. “The game has changed so radically since the first season and when we first started out, there were more options for mechanical skills and big plays,” he said. He goes on to say that a slower game was harder to be excited for.

Robbie’s Thoughts: There is so much great talent leaving the League this year and even though each one has cited different reasons for their departure it’s hard not to be worried. There is plenty of amazing talent that is coming in with the likes of Jake “JAKE” Lyons from the Houston Outlaws and his World Cup casting partner Andrew “ZP” Rush, as well as former Valiant Support Scott “Custa” Kennedy. We have to remember that the Overwatch League is still young and the talent is still being built for the League. I find it much more likely that those who played pro and are now taking the desk are more likely to be the faces and voices we see for the next 5-10 years.

Regardless, the optics of so many big names leaving the League so close to the launch of the 2020 season isn’t good. If the homestand season doesn’t live up to the expectations being set on it, these departures are going to look like foreshadowing and lead to a rough 2020 for the Overwatch League.

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